In many industries, products in containers must be disposed, preferably with the product to be recovered separately from the containers, as for separate reuse or disposal. For example, in the food industry, canned products which is old stock, of questionable quality or stale dated such as soup paste, stew, dog food and the like may be desired to be separated from their cans for disposal of the cans and reuse or separate recycling of the food products. The metal cans may be recycled with other metal. The food may be reused as human or animal food or recycled as biodegradable refuse.
As another example, in the paint industry, containers of paint may be desired to be discarded with the paint separated from the containers. However, difficulties rise in separating the paint from the containers themselves, and the difficulties are particularly acute when the paint containers are full.
Problems particularly exist in the disposal and recycling of pressurized containers, notably aerosol containers of products, such as, paint, hairspray, deodorants, insecticides, butane, natural gas, propane and the like. With such pressurized containers, explosion hazards arise not only by reason of the container being pressurized but also due to the flammable nature of their contents including not only the products but also various propellents which are used. The explosion hazards are increased when the containers are full. Previously known systems for compacting containers have the disadvantage of being unable to handle pressurized containers, such as, aerosol containers, particularly when the containers are substantially filled with their products.
Previously known systems for compacting containers have the disadvantage of being unable to handle the substantial quantities of product which are in full containers in a manner which permits the product to be separated from the containers themselves.